Vivod

Peaks: Vivod

Area: Berwyn

Just a leg stretcher after London, in the knowledge that it's not easy to locate the paths on the Dee Valley side of the Berwyn. That was indeed the case, and the lane leading to the bridleway up Vivod from Glyndyfrdwy is not even marked. In the end, I marched through the village and headed up the valley below Moel Fferna. This merges to the little lane that crests the main Berwyn ridge, an ideal mode of ascent. From here I headed east over Bwlch y Clawdd to Vivod, then down the way I had intended to go up!

London Marathon

Race: London Marathon

Time/Position: 2.54.28 (1174 from 42,000 [64th V50])

After such a wonderful race last year, a perfect 'negative split' experience in my 10th London Marathon, this - my 11th London - was rather different. Not a disaster, by any means, and I did execute my race plan fairly well. That basic plan was to go through half in 1.25 and have a shot at 2.50 if I felt good, but knock it back a bit if 2.50 seemed unrealistic. After a relaxed first couple of miles, I upped the pace as we reached the merge point in Woolwich. From here to Cutty Sark my pace was a little too quick, in retrospect, at around 3.50 per km (40.13 at 10k, although that was because of the slow start). Given my usual lack of specific training (only two proper long runs, and both of those slow) it was obvious that I would pay for this later: there was no realistic way I could hold it over the last 10k given the lack of long runs in training. The key to London, for me at least, is to be crossing Tower Bridge in comfort: this really should be an exhilarating highlight, and if it isn't, you have a problem. To an extent, it was again this year, but I did begin to fade after going through half in 1.25.31. Around the Isle of Dogs I was definitely beginning to tire, and sensed my pace dropping. I felt reasonably confident that I could hold it together if I knocked it back slightly and abandoned 2.50, so did this and managed to keep things going a little more slowly along the Embankment. This was all in stark contrast to last year, when I got progressively quicker throughout the race and ran the last 10k in exactly 40 minutes. All the crowds back again this year, back to the usual atmosphere, and the weather was nicely cool again - although the sun just started to peek through as I finished (good timing, as it then got quite warm). A successful 14 days of running - kicked off by the Vyrnwy half, which put me joint 5th in the all-time V50 north Wales rankings, then the Farndon 10k with put me 10th (also currently 10th for 5 mile and 5th for 5k).